Richards: United Players Get Straight In To England Squad

April 11, 2012

Micah Richards has claimed that Manchester United players get straight in to the England squad whilst players like him have to work twice as hard to get recognition from his country.

“Had McClaren been still in charge, I would have had 60 caps by now,” said Richards. “McClaren believed in me and Capello believed in people like Phil Jones and Smalling. That’s the way it was and that’s fair enough. They are great players. Capello and I had one chat. He told me I went forward too much but that’s the way they want me to play at City. I also did hear that he thought I was hanging around with people like Rio too much at England training, but when I was younger I looked up to Rio and when I was with England he took me under his wing. Another manager told me Capello had said I was hanging round too much with the senior pros. He thought I was big-time. What’s that got to do with anything? I didn’t know anyone else! I didn’t deserve not to be in Capello’s squad and that’s the painful thing. He played Jagielka ahead of me in one game even though he hadn’t played right back for about six years. How am I supposed to take that? Then Tom Cleverley played half a good game at Wembley (in the Community Shield) and was in the next England squad. I was buzzing because Tom is my mate but what is that about? If you play well for United you will get straight into the England squad. At other clubs it’s harder. I graft every week but feel I have to try twice as hard to get recognition.”

A very honest and thoughtful interview. I've got a lot of time for Richards (ever since he swore with excitement on live TV after getting a late FA cup winner when he was a kid). He's right about the way Capello treated him. Yes one can see it as whingeing, but he's generous in his comments about United players. I can understand his frustration, especially over Jagielka getting a game ahead of him. But the truth is United players carry a badge of quality with them, even if they go on to play for other clubs. Any international manager knows picking a player brought through by Fergie will have a reasonable chance of making it.

Fuck him, and fuck capello too. We don't need our players in these stupdi snoozefests to come back injured, not to mention being made scapegoats for ghastly team performances by utterly thick twats who wouldn't know class form their nanna's marbles.

He is by far the best English right back at the moment. Smalling is a centre half and Jones is well nobody knows what he is. Its nice to see a player say what he feels for a change he might be blue nose but he talks some sense. how and why would Clevs go and Carrick?

For pity's sake Micah face reality. There was no favouritism towards Manchester United. The fact is Capello is an idiot. Just ask Michael Owen discarded simply because he scored the two goals that knocked Capello's AS Roma out of the UEFA Cup in 2001. A crime Capello will never ever forgive him for. That is the pathetic creep we were dealing with. Yes Richards was treated unfairly by the odious Italian Knobhead but that was Capello's doing not United's. The truth is Capello treated lots of players unfairly not only Richards but then what does one expect from our FA?

I really like Jones and Smalling, but Richards has more experience to play right back, and he should be selected ahead of them. The next England manager would also take Carrick to the euros if he had half a thinking brain. Downing? Milner? Really?

He's a really good right back, no doubt about it. I don't think it has anything to do with United players being favoured though. Capello was a dick without a clue. Any manager of a national team will have his preferences in terms of players selected. Carrick has been left out time and time again in favour of Fat Frank and Stevie Me. Just look at the recent "success" of the national team and you'll see that selection isn't based on skill or on picking a side that works together. It's seniority and the managers pets. I would have had Richards in an England team.

(Norwegian btw, so not got too much I should say on your national side. Our own isn't exactly perfect :P)

richards has all the athletic attributes and power but he is a prime example of a typical english player that relies mostly on that rather than use intelligence on the pitch. Capello didn't trust him because to him richards was tactically naive, gets caught out of position, fails to read or lacking in awareness of what goes on around him and then relies on his speed to get him out of his mess.

However he probably should have played at right back ahead of the likes of jagielka but there is something about him that the italian doesn't like, perhaps his attitude.

On cleverly, i agree the italian should have waited for the season to roll on before given him his debut but i guess he must have been impressed. I don't get the grief he gets from england, the man has won titles in every job he has navigated until the impossible england job was offered. The england job may seem glittered with prestige (have only won one world cup, so i Don't get the hype) but it comes with a baggage, the media practically controls everything and get on the back of anyone who isn't their buddy. England international job, the definition of impossible

He's from Birmingham. He had a stormer at OT. Give Evra the runaround. On the International stage though, he would probably get found out. Positional sense is poor. I suppose you could say the same of Jones. As a CH, you'll get better at that, as you get older. Playing with someone who knows the drill, won't hurt either...

Richards fail to realize that there is a reason that United have won so many titles and that's because of the ability of their players that is the reason they get into the England squad. He should stop being a cry baby and put all that effort into his game and then maybe he will earn his place in the squad

I for one could not fathom how Capello never picked Richards. He's an excellent player. He will definitely be picked for the Euro's. Whether he will start is another issue, as I believe Kyle Walker is slightly better.

Man Utd player been selected to england squad not as much any many as others big team further more who is england captain???
A lot of england managers got no skill of select others player outside the top 4 team and that is theirs problem.

That's why England will never win any major international tournament. Rather than competing for a national cap..they are busy debating who should and who shouldnot be selected. Thats not his job as a player.

God does this guy ever stop whining!? You got dropped because you were benched for city and lost your form and looked average for most of last season!! Smalling and jones are fantastic young players and other united players to get in easy hmmm scholes.....Rooney! Hmm Carrick never really gets a look in and he has had a top season for the champions of England I don't see him sulking! Grow up loser!

Peter Van Der Gea I am from Mauritius too and ROM is the only forum I follow!
My colleagues always wind me up saying that I am a plastic fan/glory hunter because I support United despite never having been to a game.
What they don't know if that you I was born a Man United fan and the passion for United back in Mauritius is the same as here.